


This is Goodbye.

by WestEndWhirlwind



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 10:45:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19130452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WestEndWhirlwind/pseuds/WestEndWhirlwind
Summary: A collection of short stories I've been working on at random intervals. Hope you enjoy!!





	1. Harley Keener

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Abby Krull](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Abby+Krull).



The blue light flickered, and Harley kicked the dented machine. It malfunctioned a lot now - he’d watched it too many times. He waited until the blue pixels solidified to reveal Tony Stark. He was sitting on a metal floor - the spaceship, Harley knew.

“Hey, kid. God, you’re not even a kid anymore, are you? You’ve gotta be at least...wow. Sixteen, seventeen now?” Tony sat back and blew out a breath. “God, I hated you. Not - shit, not like  _ that _ . But you just knew all the buttons to push, and boy did you push ‘em. I know it wasn’t your fault, I was just too sensitive. All this shit was going down with Pep and the president and...you probably know all about that now. I’m kind of famous, did you hear about that? Well, more than I was. It’s for a better reason, too. I’ve  _ saved _ people, kid. I’ve saved lives, and they think that’s enough of a reason to put their trust in Iron Man.”

Tony laughed and scraped a hand through his hair. “I’m telling you all this because I don’t want to dump all of this on Morgan yet - that’s my daughter. I have a  _ daughter _ , Harley. I still can’t believe it sometimes. That little kid can’t be mine, can she? She’s so good and pure and everything I’m  _ not _ .” He stared straight into the camera now. “You’ll always be my first, though. Yeah, I know you have parents of your own - how are they doing? I’m thinking my anonymous donation to a random small-town couple didn’t end up being so anonymous, and I’m sorry if I threw you into the spotlight. I just felt bad that the only thing I could do was fix your garage...that  _ I _ broke. So that was more of an apology than anything.”

The hologram flickered, and Tony cursed. “Sorry, kid - battery’s running low. I gotta go. But before I do...God, I don’t even know if you’ll get this. I don’t even know if you’ll see it. I hope you do. I hope you do, because I want you to know…” He lets out a breathy laugh. “I never thought this would be so damn hard to say. Well, here it is, kid: you saved my life. You and your stupid, constant, amazing questions...you saved me. If it weren’t for you, I probably would’ve died that day. I’d lost everything important to me...and then you came. You saved me, Harley Keener, and I will never be able to repay you for that. I hope you use the thing I gave you for good. Help an old man out, huh? After all, I’m not gonna be Iron Man forever.”

The hologram flickered out, the fading blue light just bright enough to illuminate the red metal suit sitting against the wall.


	2. Peter Parker

“Hey, kid. I’m... _ God _ , I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this to you so soon. I know you lost your uncle, and your friend...I wish there was another way. I keep pretending everything’s gonna be all right...but I’m so  _ scared _ , kid. I’m so goddamn scared and I can’t let anybody see it. You know how that feels, right? I can’t tell you how much I miss you.” He stared at the camera, breathing shakily. “Well, you passed the test. You’re an Avenger now, and the world needs its friendly neighbourhood Spiderman. We’re gonna get you back. I don’t think I could stay in a world that didn’t have your idiotically self-sacrificing self in it anyway. Um, if we don’t get you back -” He couldn’t even finish the sentence. Peter watched him take a breath, swipe at his eyes, and put his head in his hands.

When he finally faced the camera again, he was weaker, his facade cracking. “We’re going to. I don’t even know why I’m worried! It’s gonna be fine.  _ You’re _ gonna be fine. Shit, Pete. Remember when I told you it’d be on me if anything happened? Well, it is. You were right next to me, and I couldn’t help you. I have  _ never _ in my life felt so helpless. You’re just a  _ kid _ , Pete. You should be worrying about girlfriends and prom and finding a good college and all the normal stuff kids your age worry about, not whether you’re gonna come back from some space suicide mission that I didn’t even want you on in the first place! Damn your stupid heroic ass…” His voice cracked.

Peter reached out to the hologram, wishing he could reach back through time, hug Mr. Stark and tell him everything was going to be all right. He was right here, he was  _ fine _ . He just needed Mr. Stark back. “I gotta go, Pete. Nebula and I are working on the engine. We’ve almost got it, I think - she’s really smart, kid. Not as smart as you, and definitely not as fun. She can’t even play finger flick football right. Remember when we did that? Sorry about that, by the way - I didn’t mean to get you stuck at that airport in Berlin for three hours. At least we had gum wrappers, right? Jenny Wakeman and I are using empty food packets.” He shook his head. “I love you, kid. You’re gonna be fine, I promise. And I have a surprise for you when we get home. You’re gonna love it. Remember: don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, and definitely don’t do anything I  _ would _ do. There’s a little grey area, and that’s where you operate.” Tony took a breath and looked Peter dead in the eyes. “I love you, kid. There, I said it. I know I won’t have the guts to say it to your face. See you soon.”

Tony disappeared, leaving Peter in an empty room with tears streaking down his cheeks. “I love you too, Tony.”


	3. Morgan Stark

The hologram flickered on, bathing the room in a blue glow. Tony Stark sat across from his sixteen-year-old daughter, tired but smiling.

“Hey, pumpkin. Look, if you’re seeing this...I guess I didn’t make it, and I’m sorry for that. I wanted to be there for all the normal dad stuff - scaring off boys, taking you to prom, walking you down the aisle...but we don’t always get what we want, right? 

You’re just incredible, kiddo -I mean, look what you’ve done. You and your mom fixed a totally unfixable man and brought him back from the edge. You know what I had before I had you? Nothing. All the money in the world isn’t worth it if you don’t have anyone you love. I guess that’s one thing my dad did teach me - find someone who loves you, and never let them go.”

Tony looked over his shoulder and raked a hand through his hair.

“Okay, Nebula needs my help - we’re trying to start a spaceship up again. A  _ spaceship _ , Morgan. Can you believe it?” He sighed. “I have to go, but before I do... _ God _ , Morgan. I don’t believe in him, if there is one, but I’m praying to him now.  _ Please _ don’t turn out like me. I want you to be  _ better _ . Can you do that? I know you’ll have your mom to help you, and God knows she worked wonders on me. The world needs someone like you, sweetheart. Help them realise it’s not all bad.”

Her father smiled and reached out, brushing her hair from her face. “I love you three thousand.” The hologram flickered out, leaving Morgan in a black room with tears on her cheeks.


	4. Pepper Potts-Stark

“Uh...hey, Pep. Look, I know you’re gonna kill me, but...I did what I had to do, didn’t I? Well, I will. You’re gonna hate me, aren’t you? Leaving you and Morgan before I even get to beat up her first boyfriend. That’d be something, huh? Answering the door in my suit just to scare the kid shitless. I think she’d hate me for that, but it’d be great to show at the wedding...if he stuck around that long. I know he would, Morgan’s a great kid.” He let out a long breath and laughed a little. “Look at me, fantasising about terrifying Morgan’s non-existent boyfriend. I guess that’s what I do, Pep - distract myself from all the shit that’s happening now by making up scenarios that I’m never going to see.”

She wanted to reach through the screen and strangle him - he  _ knew _ she hated when he tried to soften the truth. “I love you, Pepper Potts, and I hope you know that. Even if you wouldn’t let me change your name to Stark.” His head jerked to the side for a moment, and he yelled, “Give me a minute!”

He turned back around. “Sorry, Pep. Gotta go. Once I get back I’m probably gonna be working too hard to save everybody. Remember those days? You kept coming downstairs and I’d be working on something new? Well, it’s what I do. I tinker. Threat is imminent, and I have to protect the one thing I can’t live without...you. I guess it’s two now, if Morgan’s still there. God, I hope she’s okay. I hope you both are.” He wiped sweat from his brow and smiled. “I know I don’t like people handing me things, but I’m handing you something of mine - my heart. Use it well, sweetheart. It’ll come in handy after you get through all the outer layers of trust issues and general bravado. I love you, Pep. I’ll see you soon.” He blew a kiss to the monitor and disappeared.

Pepper Potts smiled tearily and looked upstairs. “Morgan Stark, I hope you’re finishing your homework up there, young lady!”

  
  


~♥~

 

_ Eight years ago _

 

Tony Stark sits back, finished with his recordings. “I hope none of you ever have to see these,” he mutters to himself. He fiddles with the helmet and jumps back when it gives off a spark. “Son of a bitch. I made you, and you still won’t work for me.” He gets up and paces around the cabin - it’s small, but it helps.

“Hey Nebula - any luck?” he calls. “Not since five minutes ago, the last time you asked!” she shouts back. “She likes me,” he murmurs, smirking. “I despise you, Stark,” she yells. He grins. “Love you too, Jenny Wakeman.” “I still do not know to what you refer to,” she sulks as she appears in the doorway.

“Right, because there was no such thing as culture where you grew up. ‘My Life as a Teenage Robot’? Best show ever. Well, that and Looney Toons. I kept telling Wile E Coyote how to beat the roadrunner, but he never listened.” “You never cease to annoy me, Stark.” “I know. Let’s go see what we can do with that engine, huh?”

With one last glance at the helmet, Tony Stark grabs Nebula’s arm and walks out of the room, to an uncertain future and - hopefully - a brighter one.

 


End file.
